This was a very difficult book to read. Edward Wayne Edwards was a serial killer who also terrorized his family. His abuse took many forms from beatings to “pranks” to abusing the children’s pets. Despite all that, she still felt he loved her. Fortunately, she had the strength to turn him in when she was older and put the pieces of her past together.

Thank you to the author, Gallery Books, and NetGalley for the copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This was an amazing memoir about a serial killer I was actually not familiar with! This was very dark (which was to be expected) and much of this memoir left me uncomfortable. In the very beginning of this book the author mentions her dad giving her a hickey and I thought I misunderstood but NOPE this was insane. Reading about how the author grappled with her love for her father and his erratic and violent behavior was tough. This story moved me and left a lasting impact. I am so saddened by the failures of our education system in this country for not noticing the obvious signs of child abuse. I’m proud of the author for staying strong, never losing herself completely, and for putting her father’s victims ahead of her own comfort and best interests. Absolutely powerful, moving, and shocking.

Thank you to the publisher for this ARC.

Wow, what an incredible memoir. I’ve followed April’s podcast, and still was surprised by what happened in the book. Her experiences are so incredibly unique (and hopefully rare), and she spoke of her life and complicated feelings about her dad. As someone who loves true crime, I can often forget that a killer’s family can be victims too, in their own way. I highly recommend this book because of how incredibly introspective and well-written it is.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. I really enjoyed reading this book. It is very well written and kept my attention the whole way through. It is horrifying what this family had been subjected to at the hands of this sadistic man-child. I would highly recommend reading this book if you are a fan of this type of book; it is definitely interesting and well done!

A heartbreaking memoir about April’s life - which in itself is quite tragic - but she discovers that her father may in fact be a serial killer. She is the one that turns him in to the authorities. The tragedy of his crimes may only be dwarfed by his deficiencies in parenting. It’s a sad story. It’s a tragic story. And, I hope for some - at least for April - that it is a healing journey. Thanks to NetGalley for the read.

I am a millenial women, thus true crime fascinates me. This is another great read for any adult who is interested in learning more about true crime, how it affects those around the victims, and those around the perpetrator. Thank you for the arc.

This is a fascinating look at how living with and being raised by a monster can shape someone. With the author's firsthand knowledge and experience, the story is a real standout for any true crime fan who is looking for the more human side of the stories we consume.

I remember reading about this case back when I was much more into true crime. I couldn't believe it took so long for the authorities to track him down, old and unhealthy and living with his abused wife in a trailer. It was so eerie, imagining his wife's experience living with someone she had to have known was killing people. What's even more terrifying is April Bolascio's tell all memoir about growing up with a serial killer as a father.

This book deserves ALL the praise. April paints herself as a survivor, not a victim, while detailing her father's problematic narcissistic and abusive behavior toward her, her siblings, and their mother throughout their lives. She doesn't want your sympathy; she just wants people to know who her father was and the heinous crimes he committed.

I re-listened to The Clearing podcast after reading this book, and I am so in awe of April's bravery and resilience. It's common to think someone is writing a memoir for attention, fame, or money; exploiting their relationship with the sensationalized person. However, it's very clear that April isn't seeking any of that. "Raised by a Serial Killer" comes across as a deeply personal, emotional (and I'm sure cathartic) account of growing up with a serial killer as a father, before and after she found out the truth. It will haunt you.

April Balascio narrates her childhood and being raised by Edward Wayne Edwards, a serial killer. The book is heartbreaking as she describes many incidents of child abuse and neglect at the hands of her father. As an adult, she pieces together her memories with newspaper and police reports of missing people in every town they lived in. Her father eventually confessed to the killing of five people, and he is suspected of killing many more. I remember listening to her podcast years ago, The Clearing. April is incredibly brave to share her story.

Raised by a Serial Killer: Discovering the Truth About My Father – April Balascio – 2024 –
As the oldest child of Edward Wayne Edwards (1933-2011) -April Balascio finally had to accept that the family had in fact lived in places where people had disappeared and had been murdered. Although her father and mother had raised their five children in the Christian church, all were upstanding citizens --her father had shamelessly used the church as a platform to sell his autobiographical books portraying himself as a reformed ex-criminal and Godly parent. Only his immediate family knew about his sadistic side, he regularly beat his wife and children, he was unable to maintain gainful employment and moved his family around the country from on ramshackle house to another, committing various schemes that included arson and murder to collect insurance pay outs. In 2009, Ms. Balascio picked up the phone and spoke to a Wisconsin detective.

I usually avoid reading books with shock titles meant to attract readers attention and sell books. Ms. Balascio would have been totally justified titling her book: “I’m Glad My Father Died” which is what happened before her father’s execution date in an Ohio State prison. Ms. Balascio recalled how her traumatic life experience affected her life (nearly ending her marriage), the guilt she faced by notifying the authorities, the family estrangement that followed Edward’s arrest. In sharing her story, she wishes to bring a sense of hope and closure to victims of violent crime. *With thanks to Gallery Books via NetGalley for the DDC for the purpose of review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Gallery Books for gifting me a digital ARC of this true crime memoir by April Balascio. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

In 2009, April was searching online for the truth about her father, Edward Wayne Edwards. She was researching cold cases of murders that happened in the many towns they lived in as a family. She came across the story of the "Sweetheart Murders," and memories of her father's possible connection came flooding back. She picked up the phone and called the detective in charge.

This is a gripping story of growing up in an abusive, dysfunctional family, and April's conviction that her dad could also be a murderer. It's meticulously written and researched, brutally honest, and horrifying. Told in alternating chapters detailing her dad's notorious criminal past and her recollections of her childhood, I appreciated how April told all the stories as she knew them. Not only the mean, sadistic man who pitted his children against each other, brutalized them, played horrible pranks, but also his times of kindness and love. It's hard to fathom those conflicting emotions, yet knowing the right thing to do was to pick up that phone. She showed her strength and character; remarkable with the childhood she experienced. April is a hero to many families by giving them some peace; here's hoping that she and her siblings have that same peace.

Like, wow, this book was everything! I mean, talk about a rollercoaster of emotions. From the very first page, it was all heartbreaking and intense, but also, like, super brave?! The author just lays it all out there—her childhood, her family, the chaos—and, like, her journey to uncover the truth about her dad? Chills.

It’s not just another true crime story, you know?! It’s so personal and raw, and the way she, like, processes everything? Ugh, my heart. There’s definitely some heavy stuff in here, though, so like, maybe keep tissues close, 'kay? But seriously, the way she shares her strength while dealing with all of it is just chef’s kiss.

True crime junkies, this one’s for you. Five shiny stars. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts 💖

heartbreaking book that seizes your emotions and never lets go. the memoir of a daughter who finds out her father was a murderer and turns him in. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

I read a lot of memoirs and this one grabbed me right from the start and didn't let me go until I finished it 48 hours later.
This is one of those ' the truth is stranger than fiction ' stories. It's a unique combination or true crime and a story of an abusive childhood that imprints the author as she navigates her life into adulthood.
Well written, with chapters of her father's memoir (detailing his life of crime as a younger man) interspersed with her childhood experiences from age 4 to adulthood. I appreciated the unique layout in this manner. The author grows to truly understand her father, his patterns, his narcissistic needs and his imprint on her.
Warts and all, April shares her story in a well-written, engaging way... hard to read because she suffered so much emotional and physical abuse at the hands of the Number One person who should be protecting her, and yet I couldn't put the book down.
Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC

Raised by a Serial Killer is not an easy read. Her insights are interesting though, because she is simply telling her story. I think a lot of the red flags were present and overlooked, like they are in many cases. Abuse, manipulation, charisma...it was all there. Even as a child, April recognized it at dangerous.

What I found interesting about the story is that by the time her parents married, her father was already a felon! Her mother stayed with him knowing he was physically abusive (to her as well as the kids). This power dynamic is so common. But April recalls so many other instances where her father showed his charming side, and as a reader, you actually feel the creepiness of it all. I had never heard of Edward Wayne Edwards, but it didn't take away from the story. I don't consider this a "true crime story" but more a psychological study. If you are interested in the psychology of dysfunctional families, this is a good read.

Intense. I had to force myself to take mental breaks from this one. I could have read it in one sitting, but it was so disturbing that I just couldn't handle it. How hard it is to even try to empathize with this person, just because I could not even imagine what it must have been like to live this life. I hope this book was therapeutic and eventually allows the family some closure and relationship rebuilding. Be aware of your triggers if you pick this up, but if you can, you should read it.

Raised by a Serial Killer by April Balascio

This was an extraordinary memoir. Told in plain, succinct language, this book does exactly what the blurb said: “bravely reveals an astonishing tale of a lifetime of manipulation, unexplained upheavals, and silent fear.” The style of the book really drove home the horror that Balascio faced as a child and then an adult. Seeing both the father that she cared about and the father she feared was especially poignant.

All in all, fans of unflinching memoirs, the full aspect of true crime, and a person’s journey to do the right thing will enjoy this one.

I could barely tear myself away from this book!
It’s a fascinating revelation of the author’s tortuous childhood and the unsettling discovery about who her father really was.
He was a real SOB, conman, liar, and just reprehensible.
What floored me was his tell all book and how he profited from his criminal activities.
Balascio is a very strung person and I admired her tenacity as she pulled herself out of her family entanglements.
Some parts of this story were absolutely ghastly and I give kudos to the author for trying to solve all the possible murders her father committed.

When April Balascio chose to share her story with the world, she chose to relive her life with all of the darkness that most would choose to forget. The abuse her father heaped on the family was hard but at the moment she realized that the horror he had inflicted on them went to a much deeper level. I get goosebumps thinking of how she must of felt knowing that the lengths he subjected them to was not just to hide his abuse of the family, but to cover up so much more. The courage it took for her to point law enforcement to her father's actions could only be described as heroic. She stopped a killer.
As a true crime/ biography, Balascio has given readers a look into her life. It's horrifing.

Even as a reader who has consumed a fair bit of true crime, this book is harrowing. It's shocking that April Balascio made it through her childhood, and I'm genuinely surprised that more people have not been talking about her father and his absolutely horrific string of crimes. This is a hard read, but well done.